Nixon, Quinn toured Afghanistan, will return tomorrow
Quinn and Nixon listen to a briefing in Afghanistan
JEFFERSON CITY — Ending his silence, Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that he has spent the last two days meeting with troops in Afghanistan and will return to Missouri on Wednesday evening.
Nixon and his Illinois counterpart, Pat Quinn, are with three other governors on a Department of Defense tour that began Friday in Iraq. Nixon said the group has landed in Germany and plans a final stop at the U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl.
Nixon held a conference call Sunday with reporters to discuss the earlier part of the trip but said then that for security reasons, he could not reveal future destinations or his return date.
Below is part of today’s news release:
During his visit to Afghanistan, Gov. Nixon and his fellow Governors visited the U.S. Embassy and military installations in Kabul, and they also met with soldiers in Bagram. The visit to Afghanistan followed a two-day stop in Iraq, during which Gov. Nixon met with Missouri soldiers and toured U.S. military facilities in Baghdad and Basra.
In addition to Reserve and regular military units, Missouri currently has several National Guard units deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Two units, an Agricultural Development Team (ADT-II) and the 1140th Military Police Company, are stationed in Afghanistan, and a Military Transition Team is serving in Iraq. Six additional Missouri National Guard units are scheduled to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan later this year.
“Units from the Missouri National Guard are fulfilling a vital role in U.S. operations in the Middle East,” Gov. Nixon said. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Adjutant General Stephen Danner and his team to ensure that Missouri troops are well-trained, well-equipped and well-prepared when they head overseas to serve our nation.”
Nixon’s role as governor includes serving as commander-in-chief of the Missouri National Guard.
Wow, we really need to send our GOVERNOR to Afghanistan? We have plenty of problems at home in Missouri, and we have a capable Commander in Chief a la President Obama. Talk about an unnecessary trip - and risk! This is a waste of time and a waste of money … does nothing but make our Governors feel very important about themselves. Our Governor doesn’t need to visit war-torn Afghanistan to micro-manage or second-guess A.G. Danner.
Wow, I knew things were screwed up in Illinois, we have it pretty bad but look at the clock on the wall. Its 4:00 local and 8:30 in Illinois? Could that be a sign of our bigger problems? Were not on the same time that everyone else is?
As a Vietnam-era vet, I have to say that current doctrine of relying on the NG and Reserve Units is ridiculous, even if their equipment and training are as good as the full time Army. What we need in this country is a reinstatement of the draft so that the population feels the sting of involuntary military service, exactly like Vietnam where over 7 million served and more than half that number were draftees. Another million or so joined under the pressure of the draft…mostly in the Navy and Air Force. Both of these wars are absolutely not necessary and they are a waste of blood and treasure…if we were drafting college students to fight these wars, they would have ended years ago or may never have started. It was the Draft that ended the Vietnam War and resulting public pressure. Only now do those involved in the Vietnam War admit it was a colossal mistake.
It’s more War Torn now solely because of the United States. Bring the Baby Killers and Rapists home from Iraq and Afghanistan. They’re Corporate invaders not heros!
And just how much did this junket cost the Missouri taxpayer for Governor Useless to tour the bomb craters they America created?
What a WASTE of taxpayer $. These two should be ashamed of themselves for wasting $. They needlessly put soldier’s lives at risk escorting them around. What a JOKE!
I said it before on a previous Political Fix post, but I’ll say it again. Attacking Nixon for this is stupid…he’s doing his job as Commander in Chief of the Missouri National Guard, as well as bringing (even if it’s small) a piece of Missouri to the men and women stationed overseas. I’ll be the first to criticize him for his policies, politicizing of govt., self-promotion, etc, but on this one I applaud him for doing his job. And to be honest, the summer’s not the busiest time for the Governor. To say that he’s “needed” in Missouri isn’t really that valid…that’s what he has a cabinet for…the legislature is not in session, and the departments handle the day to day operations of government and report back to him. I’m glad he did it now and not during session. I really find it ridiculous that people are criticizing him for visiting the troops.
And to “Baby Killers”, you’re repulsive. There’s a special place in hell reserved for people like you…calling the men and women that protect your right to say the garbage you spew names that you did is sick, disrespectful, and insane. You’re a miserable person.
Since the death toll of Iraqis has surpassed 1.5 MILLION and 95% of those are innocent civilans, try again to support your useless Pro-War diatribes. It’s a useless war with no redeeming value, it’s an all volunteer military and I didn’t ask them to go nor are they “defending ME or freedom”. The soldiers are there at the behest of an elite group of families and congress that are heavily invested in the war industry. They have to use up the supplies in order to justify more orders, unfortunately the Iraqis and Afghans are the latest recipients of the psychotics that run the govt.
To whomever replied to my post (I’m assuming it’s the “Baby Killers” idiot)…I try to stay pretty informed and have never seen the 95% figure that you just quoted…back it up or I’ll ignore it. I would never say that our men and women in the armed forces are “pro-war” and if you want to complain about the “elite” families that initiated it, count a ton of both Republican and Democratic senators and representatives that voted for the war. Yes, it’s a volunteer military, but they don’t pick where they go, they follow orders. Again, if you want to blame someone, blame the politicians, not our military. My comment wasn’t a “Pro-War diatribe,” but was pointing to the fact that they’re there, and we might as well make it as good as it can be for them. I don’t think anyone is “Pro-War.” And to say that they are not defending you or your freedom is asinine…if you don’t like the country, then move, and you’ll see that the freedoms that military men and women protect everyday are non-existant in other countries.